Freehouse - Hospitality

How has 2020 changed people and pubs?

‘This certainly wasn’t in the business plan we presented last Christmas’

29-Dec-2020 By Marc Hornby, co-founder, the Virgins & Castle, Kenilworth, Warwickshire

Publicans Jonathan Carter-Morris and Marc Hornby received the keys to their new pub on 9 March – less than a fortnight before the UK’s first national lockdown. Here Marc reflects on taking on a site during a pandemic.

How has 2020 changed people and pubs?

‘We waited 30 years for this and the celebration the team and fans deserved was far from possible’

27-Dec-2020 By Kate Stewart, the Sandon, Liverpool

Kate Stewart from the Sandon – a firm fixture on matchdays at Anfield – describes the ‘heart-wrenching’ feeling of not being able to celebrate Liverpool’s first Premier League title with supporters due to Covid-19 restrictions.

How has 2020 changed people and pubs?

‘I’ve been spending 24 hours a day here not paying myself very much money’

26-Dec-2020 By Jesse Dunford Wood, Parlour, Kensal Green, London

On the eve of his site's eighth anniversary, Jesse Dunford Wood spoke to The Morning Advertiser about the impact of Covid-19 on his west London pub Parlour.

Marston’s takes on SA Brain’s 156-strong pub stable

23-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

Pub company Marston’s has announced it will operate SA Brain’s portfolio of 156 pubs in Wales on a combination of leased and management contract arrangements, safeguarding 1,300 jobs.

Leicestershire County Council tops up festive grants for hard hit pubs

22-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has voiced support for Leicestershire County Council after the authority pledged to double funds provided by the Government with an extra £1,000 for struggling rural pubs.

Property round-up

2020’s biggest pub property stories

22-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

In the final pub property round-up of 2020 The Morning Advertiser (MA) looks back on 20 of the biggest deals, revamps and reopenings covered in the past 12 months.

How has 2020 changed people and pubs?

‘2021 is a major opportunity for a reset of our industry’

21-Dec-2020 By Piers Baker, the Sun Inn, Dedham and Church Street Tavern, Colchester, both Essex

In the second instalment in our series looking back on the last 12 months, Piers Baker explains that 2020 hasn't necessarily changed his pub but highlighted the importance of people to both it and the wider industry.

How has 2020 changed people and pubs?

‘When you’re a publican and you’ve retrained as an actress. Just call me Lucky’

18-Dec-2020 By Debbie Baisden, the Rayleigh Arms, Terling, Essex

To kick off a series looking back at a turbulent 12 months in the on-trade, Debbie Baisden, a multi-tasking, performing publican, explains how she is confronting Covid-19 challenges with hopes to continue both her careers in the arts and hospitality.

Almost three quarters of Brits believe hospitality has been harshly treated amid pandemic

11-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

New research has claimed that the majority of the British public sympathise with hospitality business operators over the way they’ve been treated during the Covid-19 crisis.

Looming £1.6bn unsettled hospitality rent bill threatens ‘new year bloodbath’

07-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

Industry trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has warned that the sector faces a ‘new year bloodbath of hospitality business failures’ unless rent moratoria are extended.

Analysis

Tier drop: what impact could the new Covid-19 alert system have on pubs?

26-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

The day after another 696 coronavirus-related deaths were recorded across the UK – the highest daily total since start of May – the Government has cooked up a new three-tiered trifle to force feed the embattled on-trade.

Analysis

14 ways in which Covid-19 is changing the UK pub market

26-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

A new report from Lumina Intelligence has found that coronavirus has carved 14bn off the sector’s value – but what specific symptoms has the trade shown, and what could its recovery look like?

Opinion

Government needs to wake up and stop pointing the finger at pubs

24-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

The howls of anger continue to grow from a hospitality industry that continues to feel victimised and targeted by political leaders who refuse to justify their arguments with science.

Covid-19 to hit foodservice sector for more than £44bn

24-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

Consumer spend in restaurants and other food-led outlets is forecast to plummet by 57.8% year-on-year as part of a near £200bn drop in spend during 2020.

‘No evidence of severe distress’ in pandemic pub property market

18-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

Pub property experts from Davey Co, Fleurets, Christie & Co and Savills run the rule over the pub sector amid England’s second national lockdown.

Property round-up

BrewDog eyes new Kennels, Florist branches out, Michelin-star chef to open beach bar

18-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

While Mitchells & Butlers and Revolution Bars Group have announced closures in the past week, the likes of the New World Trading Company, BrewDog, Loungers and Michelin-star chef Michael Caines have provided updates on new sites.

Former GBPA finalist to reopen after fire

06-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

London’s Thirsty Bear, a finalist in the 2017 Great British Pub Awards’ Best for Sport category, will reopen on Saturday 17 October after fire forced it to close in July.

‘One for the road’ and 9:15pm last orders: how are pubs enforcing the 10pm curfew?

30-Sep-2020 By Stuart Stone

After almost a week of 10pm closure, The Morning Advertiser (MA) quizzed its readers on what steps they’d been taking to enforce the Government’s curfew.

GBPA Pub Heroes

What time do the Great British Pub Awards start tonight?

24-Sep-2020 By Ed Bedington

Tonight will see a celebration of some of the most inspiring pub operations across the UK as we unveil the winners of the Great British Pub Awards Pub Heroes 2020.

Thousands of pubs under threat from £800m business rates bill

15-Sep-2020 By Stuart Stone

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has called on the Government to extend business rates relief to ensure that pubs facing average bill of £25,000 each don’t fall victim to the coronavirus crisis.

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Insolvency and your premises licence

11-Sep-2020 By Poppleston Allen

Sadly there are more hospitality businesses becoming insolvent due to the impact of Covid-19.

Property round-up

Beavertown’s new home, Roxy Liverpool reopens, Redcomb founders add to Prospect portfolio

26-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

The creator of Neck Oil and Gamma Ray has unveiled its £40m new home, Redcomb's founders have added a second site to their portfolio of Prospect Pubs and Roxy Liverpool has undergone a £100,000 revamp.

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the pub property market so far?

19-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

Experts from Fleurets, Davey Co and Christie & Co dissect the pub property market and highlight a number of sector trends emerging amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Property round-up

Venues saved from administration, £2.6m JDW pub plans approved

19-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

Two venues in Leeds' city centre have been saved from administration while JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has had plans for a new £2.6m site in Felixstowe, Suffolk, approved.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists - Feeding the Community

17-Aug-2020 By Ed Bedington

Food has become a vital part of many pubs offer, and with the lockdown underway, many pubs shifted to not only run takeaway services, but also provide free meals to vulnerable people.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists - Keeping the Community Entertained

17-Aug-2020 By Ed Bedington

Entertainment is a key part of our society, and with people suffering under the lockdown pubs up and down the country reached out to their communities to help connect and provide amusement and welcome relief.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists – Community Services

17-Aug-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

One positive thing that came out of the coronavirus lockdown was the incredible community spirit people across the nation showed and pubs highlighted how important they are, even when their doors were closed.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists - Front-Line Support

17-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

One of the key difficulties faced during lockdown was supporting front-line workers, and pubs did not shy away from the challenge.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalist - Pub Shop

17-Aug-2020 By Ed Bedington

As the corona crisis began to take hold basic supplies started to prove challenging to source, until pubs stepped in.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists - Charity Champion

17-Aug-2020 By Ed Bedington

Pubs are well known for their support of charities, raising many millions of pounds a year, and while lockdown might have threatened their businesses, many operators continued to champion those charitable causes.

Great British Pub Awards Pub Heroes 2020 voting closes at midnight

17-Aug-2020 By Ed Bedington

Though 50,000 votes have already been cast in the 2020 Great British Pub Awards, the public still has until 23:59 on Wednesday 26 August to pick their Pub Heroes.

UK enters first recession in 11 years

12-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

The UK economy has slipped into its first technical recession since 2009 after suffering its biggest slump on record as a knock-on effect of Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Property round-up

Coaching Inn Group adds 18th site, Roseacre approaches double figures, pub reopenings outstrip restaurants

12-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

Roseacre Pub Company and The Coaching Inn Group provide updates on their growing estates, while CGA figures reveal that pubs are reopening at a quicker rate than restaurants.

SBR changes: hastening job losses and limiting choice or correcting ‘market distortion’?

07-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

The Morning Advertiser (MA) spoke to a number of brewers-cum-bar operators about the recent changes to Small Brewers Relief (SBR) and the impact it could have on both their businesses and the wider pub sector.

Property round-up

Wedding pot spent on pub garden, Star invests £1m in Scottish sites

05-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

A number of regional operators including Robinsons, Inn Collection Group and Priory Inns North West have unveiled revamped sites after sizeable recent investment.

Wait and see success for pub

31-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

In the final recording of our series following one West Sussex pub through lockdown, MA editor Ed Bedington went back to the Lockhart Tavern in Haywards Heath to find out whether their decision to delay reopening by a few weeks has paid off.

Property round-up

Seven-figure sums invested by JDW, Robinsons and Craft Union

29-Jul-2020 By Stuart Stone

Pub operators including JD Wetherspoon (JDW), Punch and Craft Union have completed extensive pub refurbishment projects amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Little Interview

After a decade in the trade running a post-lockdown pub ‘feels like a new job’

16-Jul-2020 By Stuart Stone

Despite celebrating his tenth year at the Castle Inn in Skipton, North Yorkshire, during lockdown, operator Calvin Dow feels like a new-starter running his reopened pub under the Government’s ‘Covid-secure’ guidance.

Little interview

Morning Advertiser

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